1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for fast load balancing bandwidth allocation based on a binary search, and more particularly, to a technical concept of bandwidth allocation for load balancing in a broadcast and communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a broadcast and communication system, an amount of traffic to be input from modems through multiple upstream channels is to be balanced between channels, for efficient management of channels. In this instance, a technology for balancing the amount of traffic between channels may be referred to as a load balancing algorithm.
The load balancing algorithm may be implemented in a headend bandwidth allocation apparatus. The headend bandwidth allocation apparatus may allocate a bandwidth to an upstream channel using the load balancing algorithm when modems request for bandwidth allocation to the upstream channel.
In Data over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS), a headend cable modem termination system (CMTS) may allocate a bandwidth to cable modems (CMs) through use of a MAP message. Accordingly, load balancing may be achieved by adjusting contents written in the MAP message.
In DOCSIS, a bandwidth may be allocated based on a minislot, a unit of a timeslot. That is, the greater the size of a minislot written in the MAP message is, the wider bandwidth is allocated to the minislot. The CMs may be distinguished through use of a service identifier (SID) in the MAP message.
FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of an MAP message used in DOCSIS according to a conventional art.
In DOCSIS, allocating a bandwidth to a plurality of upstream channels is referred to as segment allocation.
FIG. 2 illustrates an example of segment allocation used in DOCSIS according to a conventional art.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, when slots indicated using a first hatching pattern are distributed between channels more evenly, it may be said that better load balancing is performed.